The Wound
by Vdysa
Summary: Another reveal story. Complete!
1. Chapter 1

The Wound

A Reveal Story

Disclaimer

I of course do not own Superman or anything associated with it.

This is another reveal story. I have written another two. This is not a sequel. I wrote this story after I started reading the fanfic "The Day After" by D. Tania, a while ago. Thanks to that story I got the inspiration to write this fanfic. I finished it before D. Tania finished her own story, so it turned out completely different. I hope you still enjoy it. Thank you D. Tania!

The events take place right after Lois talks with Superman in the hospital…

Chapter 1

_Jason is your son. Our son._

Those were the only words he could hear. Everything else was black and silent. Somehow, Lois' voice had managed to come through the darkness and he had heard it clearer than light. It couldn't have been a dream or a hallucination, somehow he just knew.

Clark Kent was lying in the hospital bed wearing only a pair of scrubs, covered by a warm white hospital blanket. He had been sleeping ever since he had pushed the island Lex Luthor had created into space, and he hadn't found any rush in waking up.

But those words… those words: _Jason is your son._ It had been all he had needed. Even when hours passed after Lois and Jason had left his side, he hadn't felt that time pass at all. For all he cared, his eyes had opened wide immediately.

The room in which he woke up was silent and smelled like any other hospital room. He'd been in hospitals before; he knew what they smelled like; only he had never been a patient in any of them. He had never been treated by a doctor either.

Now he woke up in this strange room, with Lois' last words still playing inside his brain. He sat up, and the pain on his back was a clear reminder of what had happened before. The stabbing with that large kryptonite knife was something he would never forget, and it looked like his body wasn't about to let go that quickly either.

He knew he was weak, but Clark still stood up and touched the hard cold floor with his bare feet. He walked to the chair in front of the bed, where his suit was carefully laid. When he turned around he saw the door's glass, allowing everybody to see he was awake. But no one was watching, so he quickly took his suit to one corner of the room where prying eyes would not see him get dressed.

Jason. All he wanted to do was see Jason. He had seen him before, sure, but never as his son. He was sure that the next time he saw him would be the greatest experience of his life. Cursing the pain in his body when he put the suit slowly, Clark finally finished and was ready to go.

Walking hurt, flying would too, but he didn't care.

He opened the window and slowly lifted into the air, testing if he would be able to stand the pain. Fortunately the pain wasn't excruciating, so he ventured out the window and into the night. It took longer than expected to get to Lois' house, he had to rise up high into the sky first, to avoid been seen. It would have been an easy task if it weren't for that uncomfortable feeling his back produced. Of one thing he was sure Luthor would pay for what he did to him. He would make sure of that.

When he opened Jason's window, he almost felt healed. An extra flow of energy came to him as he stood there, staring at his son. His own flesh and blood. How magnificent he felt, knowing that part of the little boy had come from him and Lois, the woman he so desperately loved.

Jason slept soundly in bed; it was probably close to midnight, though he wasn't sure. The thought of scanning the house to see where Lois was didn't even cross his mind, and the presence of Richard there wasn't even close to important at that moment, either.

All he cared about was Jason. His son.

He knelt down beside him and smiled. He was the most perfect thing he had ever beheld, why hadn't he noticed that before?

"You'll be different." He began, thinking of himself when he was his age. Knowing what would come after realizing what it meant to be his son. "Sometimes, you'll feel like an outcast. But you will never be alone. You will make my strength your own. You will see my life through your eyes, as your life will be seen through mine." Was this what his father, Jor-El, had felt when he let him got so many years ago. "The son becomes the father, and the father… the son."

He touched his hair, kneeling in silence with him. The boy finally moved and Clark realized he couldn't take his eyes off of him. Tears wanted to come down, but he did his best to hold them back. He had never known he could be this happy. Until then, the only one that made him whole had been Lois… but now, there was something more, someone larger than both of them…. Their son.

Nevertheless right now he felt tired, and he knew he had to go… back to the hospital maybe. No. He didn't want to go back there, what would the doctors say or ask of him now that he was awake? He couldn't risk that. He would have to go someplace else.

He stepped out of the window, taking flight again. For a moment the pain had been forgotten, but he felt it coming back. If it hadn't been for Lois standing there, he would have touched the grass below him and simply walked away; he was that tired. But Lois was there, the mother of his child, and he was dressed as Superman. He just couldn't let her know his pain. She didn't deserve the weight of his problems, not after what she probably had gone through when he had left her alone with his child in her womb.

He heard Jason call out to him, and Lois turned around. He was glad to see her smile when she took a look at him. Maybe there was a chance she really still loved him after all. Maybe there was still hope for…

Those thoughts couldn't come now, it was all too painful and he was too tired to even think about his situation. _Their _situation.

"I…" Began Lois, but stopped, not able to say more. He hovered in front of her and smiled at her warmly, trying to make her understand he had heard the message she had delivered. Lois smiled back, and said in turn: "Will we see you… around?"

"I'm always around." Clark replied, the same words he had uttered before when there was nothing else to say and yet so much. Nothing else but his own feelings. "Good night, Lois."

She smiled and he flew away, happy. He flew up into the sky as fast as his body could carry him. The pain in his back reminding him that he still needed to heal. He couldn't understand why his body was taking so long to heal now, but there was only one thing he could think of to help himself. The sun. He had to fly to meet the sun. He flew around the Earth until he found it. Its rays were comforting, but the healing came slowly and he was tired.

After what seemed forever, Clark decided it was time to rest in a bed someplace. After a good night's rest, he would be able to come back to the sun again. Probably a few more days, or a week, whatever it took to make him feel well again.

It was late and he had truly no place to go but to the office. All of his things were there. He headed that way, entering through the hole he had made on the roof as he had rushed to help Lois when she had faxed them for help.

His clothes where there, still waiting for him. Taking them in his arm, he got in the elevator and walked silently to the closet in the newsroom, where he had his suitcase. He changed clothes there and quickly placed his suit inside. It was time to look for a place to sleep. He couldn't believe how tired he was.

Taking the elevator downstairs, he was surprised to find a guard on the main floor. The man stared at him suspiciously, Clark saw him reach for his gun.

"Sorry if I startled you," Clark began, "I'm Clark Kent, I work here."

"Can I see some ID?"

"Sure."

Clark reached for his wallet and noticed the guard tense, probably fearing he would take out something else. But his heartbeat began to slow down when Clark indeed showed him a wallet, taking out his Daily Planet badge.

"Working late, Mr. Kent?"

Clark nodded. "Yes. Time to get some rest."

The guard smiled and nodded in return, watching Clark limp a little as he walked out of the building.

Outside, the streets were almost empty; it must have been easy after midnight. He took his watch out of his coat's pocket and read the time. It was almost two in the morning. He had to find a place to sleep as fast as he could because he had no intention of missing work the next day.

Walking a few blocks, he saw his salvation in a cheap motel. He was _so_ tired, he even had trouble breathing. Everything hurt, not just his back. Feeling a little light headed, he went straight to the lobby and rented a room.

The room they gave him was small, but at least it looked clean. He put his suitcase in the closet and took his clothes off to take a shower. Feeling the scalding hot water on his skin was a nice feeling. He washed his hair and sat down on the shower for a while.

He fell asleep there.

To be continued…


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Clark woke up with a start. The shower was still running and he was still naked on the floor. He hadn't even noticed falling asleep. He now felt refreshed somehow, but not a hundred percent. With the towel, he dried himself after turning the water off.

The alarm clock read a little past eight in the morning. He had a few minutes before having to show up for work. As fast as he could, he got dressed and ready for the day. He didn't wear his Superman suit underneath, not that day. He was still weak and he still needed time under the yellow sun to heal completely. The people would need to wait on Superman a few more days.

He hid the suitcase in the closet, with the suit inside, and placed the 'Do Not Disturb' sign outside the room's door. Finally, he was ready to go to work.

The Daily Planet's newsroom was already awake and running when he stepped out of the elevator. He wasn't really late, but everybody else seemed to be there early. He felt a sudden attack of dizziness and had to stop to breathe deeply before crossing the room to find his desk.

It was a relief to finally sit down and rest his back. The stab wound still hurt like hell and he wished it would stop. Maybe at lunch time he would venture to the roof and see if the clouds were gone and the sun had granted him an appearance. Turning his computer on, he didn't notice Jimmy behind him. "Hey, CK. You all right?"

"Yeah, Jimmy, I'm fine." Clark replied, knowing he definitely didn't sound fine. "I just _fell_ yesterday and my back hurts."

"Oh, sorry to hear. I can give you my chiropractor's number if you want." Jimmy offered, making Clark wonder how someone Jimmy's age could need a chiropractor.

"I'll be fine. I just gotta take it easy for a few days. That's all."

"Well, lying down is usually best. Maybe you should take the day off."

Clark shook his head immediately. "Oh, no. That's not necessary. We have a lot to cover after what happened."

"Right." Jimmy agreed. "Well, gotta go back to work. Hope you feel better." With that, he patted Clark's back. The pain it caused was almost unbearable. He gritted his teeth and held his breath for a few seconds.

He rested his back on the chair again, slowly. That moment didn't last for long. "Kent! I need you!" It was Perry White. Now, what could the chief want from _him_ so early in the morning?

It was hard, but Clark stood up slowly and walked all the way to Perry's office. It suddenly felt harder than lifting that big rock into space. He opened the door and Perry offered him a chair. Clark looked up and noticed Lois was occupying the opposite chair.

He smiled at her weakly, but Lois didn't seem to notice at all. "Perry, I can do this on my own. I don't need a babysitter." Lois was saying.

"You are taking Kent with you. You two used to be the best, and I want you to cover the city's exposure to the earthquake… _together_."

"But, Perry…"

"You'll have fun." Perry insisted, almost talking as if Clark wasn't even there. "Now get out of here!"

Clark frowned, half understanding what was happening. "Where are we going?" he asked innocently.

"Wake up, Kent!" Perry barked, "You're going with Lois, didn't you hear? Now, go!"

Still not sure what exactly was going on, Clark stood up with a jerk, causing his back to sting with pain once more. He swallowed it and started out as fast as he could manage. Lois was way ahead of him, almost reaching her own desk; she took her purse and a notebook and turned to look at him. "Are you going to slow me down, Smallville?"

"What?" Clark really didn't feel well, and everything around him was happening in slow motion. The blurry image of Lois seemed to be saying something, but Clark didn't have the stamina to concentrate and listen.

"What's wrong with you? You look like you fell out of bed."

_Not to far off, actually. _"I did… fall." Clark said, slowly, finally getting to his desk and reaching for a small notebook and a pen.

"You fell?" Lois said, her frown now morphing into a worried look. Clark turned to look at her straight in the eyes and Lois found that she couldn't keep looking back at him for long. "You really fell out of bed?"

"Not… exactly." Clark said softly, following her to the elevator.

"Then, what happened?"

"I just fell… ok?" He said, snapping at her when it wasn't really necessary.

Lois gave a step back, not knowing how to react to the tone Clark had taken with her. Since when did Clark Kent raise his voice at her? Or at anyone? And he wasn't even apologizing like he apologized for everything else. Well, he _had_ been gone for years, and since he'd been back Lois hadn't given him a chance to catch up. She had barely crossed a word with him in the few days he had been back working at the bullpen.

She pressed the button for the lobby and avoided Clark, who silently and slowly moved to one corner of the elevator, one hand holding his back, the other holding the wall as if to help him from falling.

Lois turned around. "You hurt your back?" She asked, puzzled.

"Yeah." Clark said, not looking at her, but staring at the floor.

"Clark, you don't look well." Lois said, holding her position, but sounding more worried than before. "Do you want to go home? I can do this on my own; I can fill you in once you feel better."

"No, Lois, I'm fine. Thank you." Clark said, decidedly.

"Are you sure?" Clark nodded, but somehow Lois didn't buy it. She ventured a walk over to his side of the elevator and touched his forehead. Clark moved away, almost as if he was scared of her touch, but deep inside it had felt too good to be true. Her warmth was something he needed. "My God, Clark. You're cold. Too cold. And… you're sweating."

"What?" Clark opened his eyes and touched his own face with the back of his hand. She was right. There was definitely something wrong with him. He needed another bath of sun rays and fast. How could he get away to go where the sun could reach him?

The elevator got to its destination and the doors opened, showing the busy lobby in front of them. Clark was still startled by what was happening to him and it took him a while to start walking out of the elevator. The people wanting to get in seemed anxious for him to get off. Lois hurried to his side and took his arm. "Come on."

Every step was torture, but Clark still managed to get out of the Daily Planet's revolving doors. Unfortunately, once out on the street, as he looked up, he didn't find the sun, but a bunch of dark clouds hovering over him. _Why, of all days, is it overcast today?_

"Do you want me to take you home?" He heard Lois ask, but he was so enthralled watching the clouds that covered his precious sun, that he simply ignored her. "Clark?"

"No." He said, absentmindedly, "I'll be fine."

"Well, you don't look fine." Lois left him standing there in the middle of the sidewalk as she ran to catch a cab. Clark felt his knees weaken and he suddenly had trouble breathing. The world started to turn and he had to concentrate to keep standing. "Are you getting in the cab, Clark?" Lois yelled from the street.

"Right."

He was glad to sit down and relax for a little while in the cab's back seat. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes for a second. Without him even knowing, he fell asleep.

Lois turned to look at him and called his name. "Clark?" But he didn't wake up. "Clark?" She called again, but her partner simply sat there, motionless. "Oh my God, Clark, what's wrong with you?"

"Where to, lady?" The driver asked.

"Central Park, please."

Lois started moving Clark to see if he would react at all, but the man simply did not move. She quickly checked his pulse, just in case, but it was still there. Good thing he wasn't dead, she thought. But still, what would she do with an unconscious man as her partner? He wouldn't even be able to walk around.

Considering taking him to the hospital, Lois searched for his back pocket and found his wallet, to see if he had some sort of insurance card.

Inside was his expired driver's license, which Lois found completely pointless since Clark didn't even own a car. Three expired credit cards and one valid debit card that he had probably gotten from the Daily Planet's finance department. No sign of any insurance. Actually, Clark didn't have much in that wallet of his, but what he did have, beside a couple of twenty dollar bills, was a key to a motel room.

"Motel Metropolis." Lois read out loud, reading the room number to herself. "Sir?" She called out to the cabbie, "Change of plans, we need to go to the Motel Metropolis."

"We just passed it, lady." The man replied.

"I don't care. Turn around."

The man hesitated for just a moment. "All right." As long as the meter was running, what did he really care?

It was two blocks away, less than a mile from the Daily Planet's building. "Clark, you gotta wake up." Lois said to him, then much louder. "Clark! Wake up!" She shook him as hard as she could until Clark finally opened her eyes.

"What happened?" He said, trying to figure out where he was. "We're here?"

"Yes." Lois said, "We're here. Come on, get out."

She saw the face of pain as Clark struggled to get out of the cab, still holding his back as hard as he could. "Where are we?" Clark asked once Lois had paid the cab and stood in front of Motel Metropolis.

"You have to get some rest, Clark."

"What?" Clark protested. "No, I told you, I'm fine."

"Right." Lois took his arm again and forced him inside the building. "Let's go."

Clark didn't even protest this time, deep down it felt nice to be taken cared of by Lois. Still, the truth was he was so tired; rest was probably the best way to go. Once Lois left him in his room, he could fly up into the sun again. That would surely help him for a few hours.

"I'll be fine from here." Clark said, as the elevator door opened. But Lois didn't seem to hear; she still dragged him to the elevator and pushed the correct button. "How do you know where I'm…?"

"I'm a reporter. I know stuff." Lois said, which made Clark smile.

They stepped out on Clark's floor and Lois helped him walk to his room. When she produced his wallet and his key, Clark blinked in astonishment. "Where did you get that?"

Lois opened the door and let him in, following behind. The place was still as messy as the last time he'd been there. The 'Do Not Disturb' sign had clearly worked. Lois looked at the crummy room and guided Clark to the bed. "I don't know how the hell you fell, but maybe you should go see a doctor."

"I'll be fine." Clark repeated.

"Yeah, you keep saying that, but I'm not sure I believe you."

Once Clark's head touched the pillow, he relaxed, his eyes closed and he fell asleep immediately.

"Clark?" Lois called him. "You're asleep? Again?"

There was no answer. She thought of her options. What should she do? Thinking of Clark as her best friend for the day, she helped him take his shoes off first. With difficulty she took off his coat, Clark was really heavy, she realized. Then she looked around to find something more comfortable for him to wear when he woke up. Knowing Clark, he probably had a pair of pajamas someplace.

She didn't find anything in the drawers, so she looked for the closet. Nothing. Except… a suitcase. An ugly, old suitcase was stashed out of view, almost hidden. It had the initials C.K. engraved on it. Lois took it out and placed it on top of the tiny table by the window. She opened the suitcase rapidly only to find…

_A blue and red suit?_

"What is this?" Lois said to herself. She took out the blue top and unfolded it in front of her. The emblem displayed before her was a red and yellow letter "S", one that she had seen too many times before. She brought the shirt to her face and smelled it. It was _his_ scent. What was Clark Kent doing with Superman's suit?

She turned to look at Clark, then back at the suit. Was he keeping it for _him_? Why? "Clark?" She called to him, although it was improbable he could hear her. "Clark, what are you doing with Superman's suit?"

Her partner wasn't waking up. She walked to where he was and stared down at him. "Clark? Wake up. You gotta tell me why you have Superman's suit in your suitcase." Still no response. "Clark?"

Then she remembered. Clark had been holding his back… was that the same side where Superman had been stabbed? No… it couldn't be. She swallowed hard, blood leaving her face. She undid his vest and white shirt and tried to turn him around to see what it was he had been holding with his hand earlier that day.

She gasped, before her, a white and green wound that still hadn't closed was on his back. But… that would mean…

Letting Clark go, she covered her mouth with both hands, her eyes couldn't blink. She stared at her partner once again, looking at his face intently, then, slowly, one of her hands reached out for his glasses and trembling, took them off.

"Oh, my God…" She dropped the glasses to the floor, not caring for anything else in the world but what she was staring at…. Superman's face. Clark Kent was Superman? But, how could that be?

Suddenly, Clark moved to one side, but the wound on his back ordered him not to do that. Maybe it was the pain that woke him, or maybe it had been Lois' rapid breathing. It sounded like she was almost scared of him.

"Lois?" Clark said. "Where are we?" Lois didn't answer him. She just stared at him in horror, as if she was staring at something really scary. Clark frowned and tried to get up, the pain reminding him it wasn't such a good idea. "Lois, what's wrong?"

She gave a step back. She wanted to say something, but she couldn't. "I… I just… You… I didn't know… I…"

"What's wrong, Lois?" But then he knew. He looked around and he noticed he wasn't wearing his glasses. He couldn't see the frames around his eyes. It was then that he realized Lois knew who he really was. She knew the truth.

"I'm sorry." Lois uttered, "I didn't know and I wanted to help Clark… I mean you, I wanted to help you, and I opened the suitcase and…" She didn't have to say anymore. It was clear what had happened. She had finally figured it out.

Clark nodded, resting his head on the pillow once again. He knew it was useless to pretend anymore. "My back hurts, from the wound." He told her, assuming she understood what he was talking about. "I didn't want to miss work. I didn't want to be absent the same day Superman was absent. I didn't want anybody to figure it out. But the wound won't heal, Lois. And I don't know why."

She listened to his words; she heard Superman _and _Clark when he spoke. They were really one and the same and she hadn't noticed for years. "You're sick?" She said, though it later sounded like a stupid question in her mind.

"I guess." Clark said. "I don't know what to do. After seeing Jason yesterday I flew to the sun, but it only helped a little. I just feel so tired."

"Then, let's go back to the hospital." Lois suggested.

"No!" Clark raised his head from the pillow and the sudden movement made his back ache again. "Damn!" He cursed. Suddenly, Lois couldn't help but chuckle. "It's not funny. I really _am _in pain here."

"No. It's not that. It's just that. I never thought I would hear _Superman _curse."

"My name is Clark." He said.

"Is it?"

"Yes. That's my name." Clark assured her.

"Okay. But if you won't let me take you to the hospital, what can I do?"

"Nothing. I'll be fine." Clark said yet again.

"Stop saying that, please! How do you know you'll be fine? You don't know! I think I know almost the same about your body as you do."

Clark smiled. "Oh, right."

Lois suddenly blushed, remembering that she had made love with the man before her, only thinking he was somebody else. She had seen him just like he had seen her. And after one of those nights of passion, Jason had been brought into the world.

"I didn't mean that!" Lois said, "I mean, there is no one else here _like_ you, so you can't know if what's happening to you is normal. I've seen you get hurt before and you heal up pretty quick. Why haven't you healed now?"

"I don't know."

"So let's go to a hospital."

"They won't know either."

"How do you know?"

"Lois…" He said, "I feel tired, I think I need to replenish my energy. I doubt a doctor could give you a diagnosis like that. I've felt like this before… not for so long, but I've felt this weak before and I just need sustenance."

"You're telling me that you just need a sun bath? That's all?"

"Well," Clark reconsidered, "A few of them. Sort of like therapy."

"Is there any other type of "sustenance" you can take? Like… food?" Lois ventured. Clark looked puzzled. "How long since you ate?" Once again Clark seemed to think about it, he opened his mouth to speak, but stopped. "What? You don't eat?"

"I do eat."

"Do you _have_ to eat or…"

He stared at her, almost ashamed to confront her with it. "I haven't eaten since you were kidnapped and that's probably one of the reasons why..."

"What? It's been three days!" She sounded alarmed, Clark looked away. "And you're not hungry at all?"

"I am a _little _hungry." Clark said, not wanting to accept it in front of her. "Just a little." Without wasting anymore time, she grabbed her purse and took the motel key in her hand. "Wait, where are you going?" He asked her.

"To find food for you and then I'm going to find you some sun. I'll think of something. I'm telling you… men, you're all the same. Even you… Clark Kent."

And with that she stormed out of the room.

To be continued…


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Clark was dreaming; he was having a nightmare… Lois knew who he really was. He was dreaming that somehow she had figured out his secret, seen through his disguise and realized that Clark Kent was that same alien that wore the blue, red and yellow suit. One and the same. In his mind the dream was a little blurry, but Lois knew for sure.

He woke up with a start again. The door unlocked, and it startled him out of his dream. Quickly he turned his head around and focused his eyes to see through the door.

It was Lois. At least his x-ray vision was intact.

The first thing he did was move his hand to his face as fast as he could. _The glasses were not there_. He sat up, the pain on his back was still pounding, but the adrenaline shot overrode it. Still, he looked around and couldn't find them. The door opened wide as he finally saw his glasses on the carpet below him. He reached for them, stretching more than he should, the wound burning. But he didn't care, protecting his identity was priority one.

Lois walked in the room, carrying a big brown bag with her. She silently walked to the small table by the window where she placed the bag. Turning to look at him finally, she frowned.

"Clark, you don't need your glasses anymore with me." She stated.

"What?" He didn't seem to understand.

"I know you're Superman." She said.

Clark lowered his eyes and didn't know how to respond to that. "It wasn't a dream?" He said almost to himself.

"No, it wasn't. I already know your big secret. Get over it."

He turned to look at her again, hopeful. "Then, you're not mad?"

She smiled. "I wouldn't say that. First we have to get you better, then you'll have to answer some of my questions." She turned around to take the supplies out of the bag. "And believe me, you may not like what those questions are, so be ready with really good answers."

Clark nodded, suddenly afraid of what was to come. The smell of the chicken soup suddenly filled the room and Clark felt his stomach churn.

"Here." Lois gave him the cup filled with hot soup along with a spoon. "Be careful, it's really hot."

"Thank you." Clark sat up slowly and took the cup. He began eating, not caring how hot it was.

"Wait, Clark! It's h…" But then her brain started working. "Oh, right… you can't really feel that, can you?"

Clark simply ignored the comment as he kept eating, realizing how hungry he was. In a matter of seconds the soup was gone. "I guess you really _were_ hungry." Lois said, "I brought some Chinese food and pastries, I didn't know what you wanted, it's barely noon, so I wasn't sure what was appropriate."

"The soup was great. I guess I really needed to eat." He said, not really having listened to what she'd said.

"Then, you're feeling better?"

Clark nodded. "Yes, thank you."

Lois seemed glad. She walked to the small table and dragged the wooden chair next to the bed. Sitting up in front of Clark, she felt him tense up.

"I talked to Richard." She began.

"You did?"

"Yes." She continued. "It's still cloudy outside and I figured he could fly you up in his sea plane. Above the clouds, I mean." Clark listened intently. "He says the plane probably won't fly that high, but he can try."

After a while, Clark asked her a very important question. "And, who does he think he's taking?"

"Superman."

"All right." Clark said, wanting to ask the next question but being a little afraid of doing so. "And you told him who… I am?"

She smirked. "Of course not, silly. Why would I do that? After all, if you kept the secret from _me_, the mother of _your_ child…" there was a little sarcasm in her voice, "…I thought you wouldn't want anybody else to know."

He stared at her, taken aback. It was beginning, the aftermath of the revelation. "Thank you. I – I don't think I want him… to know."

"You're welcome."

They sat there in silence, Lois looking intently at him, Clark looking anywhere else except into Lois' eyes.

"Would you have told me?" Lois asked him suddenly, Clark's head jerked to meet hers. "If I hadn't figured it out, would you have told me who you were?"

Clark felt it would be useless to hide the truth. "I don't know."

"Why?" Lois demanded, "Why not? Don't you trust me? You slept with me and Jason is the proof of that and you still don't know if you would have told me?"

"I didn't know Jason was my son." He wanted to smile, it was the second time he had said the word. _Son_. It felt good.

"Well, now that you know, would you have told me?" Lois insisted.

"I don't know, Lois. It all happened so fast. I came back and you were with Richard and you were going to marry him. _Are_ going to marry him…You had a child. I thought Jason was Richard's. Why would I think he wasn't? And yesterday when you told me, it took me a while to understand."

"What's so hard to understand?"

"I didn't think I… I didn't think _we_ could have a baby. After all, we are… well, we're different species."

"Well, we did create Jason, make no mistake." She snapped.

He closed his eyes, wanting to remain calm. Lois was making it difficult. "Lois, I'm an alien. How am I supposed to know what to expect?"

"I don't know. If you would have stayed, probably you could have known."

"Probably, but…"

"And if you had said good-bye, then probably, I would have told you."

Clark stopped, eyes wide, "You knew then?"

"Yes, I did… but I wasn't sure what to do, and after I figured it out… you left."

He felt the weight fall on him again. "Sorry."

"Sorry? Yeah, I'm sorry too."

"But, I _had _to go, Lois." He explained. "It's not easy being me. I…"

"You what? You are Superman! You can do all these amazing things, what's not easy about that?"

"Many things." Clark protested.

"Like what?"

Clark stared at her, suddenly feeling more an alien than ever before. He had always felt uncomfortable talking about his powers. Sometimes he even felt that with all the things he could do, he didn't deserve anything else that was good. "You may not understand, but it makes me feel alone, isolated. I can't really talk to anybody without freaking them out. I have to be careful not to hurt anyone. And I need to do this every day of my life."

"We all have our problems. You have yours. But we all live our lives here and we're all fine. We don't go hiding our identity and lying to people." Which was actually not true at all. All people hid who they really where and lied all the time… but still…

He stared at her, hurt by her words. "Then forget it. Even if you don't want to understand, that's why I had to go. I wanted to feel… _normal._ At least once in my life, I wanted to belong someplace, be ordinary, not having to be… well, Superman."

"And that's why you went back to Krypton? Then, you weren't planning on coming back?"

He saw her eyes water, that realization had probably been worse than the fact he hadn't said good-bye. Should he tell her he wasn't sure? That would probably make matters worse. "I don't know, Lois."

"You don't know?" A tear left her eye.

"I don't… I – I don't have all the answers, Lois. I don't know everything. But I was confused and didn't have anybody to go to."

"You had me! I thought you loved me!" She snapped.

"And I do, I love you." He said, very softly. "But in this case, you couldn't be there for me because I chose not to let you, okay? I felt I had to do it on my own. I'm sorry. I may have made a mistake."

Lois nodded, cleaned her cheek from the tears for a long time. "Well, you're back, and I'm glad." It looked she was trying to calm down.

"I'm glad to be back." Clark said, smiling. "I really wanted to see you again." She just looked at him. "When I came back, I didn't want Superman to come back with me."

"What? Why not?"

"I just didn't feel like that guy anymore." He looked at the window. "I don't know. It seemed that nobody really needed me, so I began to think that maybe it was time for me to live _my _life." He turned back to her. "The first thing I did when coming back to work, was ask for you. You weren't there, you were in the space shuttle, but I remember looking at you in the television screen and knowing that you were the reason I was here."

"Clark, I…"

But he stopped her. "I had to become Superman again to save you. I just couldn't live without you. It would all be very pointless now… without you." A laugh escaped him, "And then I found out you were engaged… or actually, I think I found out before the shuttle rescue. Jimmy told me." Lois just sat there, listening to Superman just letting his heart out on her. He continued, "And you had a _son_. Everything seemed to be going just fine for you and you didn't seem to need Superman… _or_ Clark." He didn't stop. "I just _had _to make sure you didn't love me anymore. I just _had _to know. I knew you were angry… probably still are, but in a way I knew I couldn't just let you go without a fight. You once loved me… or at least, part of me. Besides…" He said in a lower voice… "You are not married… yet."

"Clark… you left me alone, what was I supposed to do? You not only took Superman away from me, but you also took Clark, my friend, away with you. Suddenly I didn't have anyone. When Richard came, he…"

"I know, he gave you what I never gave you…" He interrupted her.

"He was a father to Jason, which was the most important thing." Clark nodded. "He gave me stability and a life. Things I never had before."

"I know. He's a great man. I don't know much about him, but what I've seen… I know he's right for you." He saw her face change into confusion; she frowned, not knowing what to think of his last words.

Finally, she laughed. "If he's so right for me, then why haven't I married him?"

"I don't know. But, if you love him, Jason loves him… then…" Clark said; sadness in his voice.

"And what about you? You'll just step back and watch?"

"Lois, I left for over five years. What right do I have to claim you? I love you and I have been in love with you since… probably since I met you at Perry's office on my first day at the Planet. But I just can't come back and destroy your life. It wouldn't be fair."

She nodded, understanding his position. "And Jason?"

The mention of the boy's name brought a smile to his face, she smiled with him. "He's my son. You don't know how happy that makes me. But I think that because he's my son his life won't be easy. Believe me, I know."

"He is strong."

Clark didn't understand. "How do you mean? How strong?"

"Strong enough to send a piano flying through a room?"

"Oh. I didn't know that. When did this happen?"

"On Luthor's boat."

_Luthor._ Just hearing his name made him angry. "Did he do something to him? To _you_?"

"Not really. I mean, except locking us up in the pantry to drown."

"That bastard." Clark said, again so out of character.

"He wasn't very nice to you, either." Lois said, "The kryptonite shard I took out of your back was pretty big."

"It still hurts." He complained. "I wish it would heal already."

Lois suddenly stood up. "I forgot. I brought some bandages." She rose to the table, where she took a first aid kit from the brown bag. "Still not hungry for Chinese?"

"Maybe later. Thanks."

Lois walked to him and placed the kit on the chair she'd been sitting on. "You'll need to take your shirt off, probably."

He nodded, beginning to unbutton his shirt. Slowly, making faces, he managed to take it off, revealing his well built body to Lois. He heard her sigh and stare at him, but he knew she'd seen him like this before.

"Turn around." She ordered and he obeyed. He felt her small hand on his back and then waited for her to take care of him. She cleaned the wound first, "I think it's infected. You should look at it." He arched in pain as she cleaned the wound. "Stop moving!"

"It hurts." He complained.

"Come on, you're Superman, you can take this."

He smiled. "Well, I'm not used to this sort of pain, okay? Usually nothing ever hurts… _ever_."

"You're so spoiled." She mused.

"Right." Clark replied; glad to be talking to her so freely. It was something he missed. "Ouch!" He said again, as Lois continued cleaning his wound.

"You have green and white puss. Is this normal?" She asked him.

"I have no idea. Usually when I get hurt by kryptonite I heal in a few minutes."

"Do you think there's still kryptonite inside you?"

"I don't think so, I feel weak, but not sick like when I feel with kryptonite." He explained.

She finished cleaning up the wound and continued to put gauze and bandaged his back. "That feel better?"

"Yes. Thank you." Clark said, smiling at her. "It may be a good idea to get some sun right about now."

"Do you feel well enough to… you know… fly?" She asked him, curious.

"I don't know. I can try." Right there, still sitting on the bed, he started to rise up. Slowly. Lois had to back up in astonishment, she had never before seen him fly without his suit on. Slowly, she watched him straighten up and levitate away from the bed. He was now in a standing position, his chest still naked. Finally, he went back down, his feet touching the dirty carpet.

"What happened? How'd that feel?" She asked him.

But he shook his head. "I don't know. I'm just so tired. I don't think I have the stamina to keep it up for long." He smiled. "Actually, I want to sit down again."

He did, Lois looked worriedly at him. "Why don't you let me take you to the hospital?"

"No. I'll go with Richard. He can fly me to the sun. That's what you said, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, he'll pick up Jason at three o'clock and we'll meet at the house." Lois explained.

Clark turned to look at the clock. "It's almost one o'clock now." Then he looked back at Lois, wondering. "Would you mind if I call my mom? I know she must be worried. After all, she must have known I fell and was taken to the hospital."

Yes! That had been Martha Kent outside the hospital, Lois thought, she knew she had recognized the woman from somewhere. "I saw her at the hospital."

"You did?"

"Yes. She was waiting with the crowd." A thought then occurred to her. "It must have been hard not being able to go in and see you. But then again, who would believe she was Superman's mother?"

"I know, it's been hard for her ever since my dad died and I left." He explained. "But she has a boyfriend now." He said, making a face again, Lois couldn't help but smile.

"And you don't like her boyfriend?" She asked him.

"Who cares what I like? It's the man she chose. I mean, it's not dad… but she needs company, right?"

Lois nodded; talking with this man was like talking to any ordinary man. He was right, after all, he was really Clark Kent. A man that just so happened to have super powers. Without knowing, she was beginning to fall in love with him all over again.

"Well, I gotta go back to work and you should rest." She said.

"But, Perry said…" Clark began, starting to get up.

"Forget Perry. I will cover for you. I'll be back in two hours. I'll just go to the hospital to find out what has gotten out about your disappearance." She took her purse and walked to the door. "In any case, if something happens, I'll just tell Perry I have an exclusive with Superman." She winked at him. "Right?"

He offered half a smile. "Right." _How strange it had felt to say that._

"Well, you just rest and I'll come pick you up in about two hours. Deal?" Clark nodded, "If you get hungry, there's the Chinese food I brought. I hope it's not too cold now."

"Don't worry about that... I can… heat it up." He said, almost blushing.

"Oh, right. I'm still having a little trouble realizing that you have the same powers as…" She rolled her eyes… "Oh, never mind."

He smiled as Lois exited the room.

To be continued…


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Clark finally sat down on the bed. He felt his energy coming back to him slowly. Realizing he was still hungry, he decided that eating some more would help him feel even better. Walking to the small table by the window, he looked out while leaning his head on the glass and sighing at the sight of the dark clouds that were still hovering over the sun.

He took out the Chinese box and opened it. He wasn't sure what it was, but he knew the place Lois had gotten it from and was sure he would love it. Straining his eyes a little, he concentrated his heat vision to warm the food just enough. He found the task a difficult one, since he still felt tired and not with a lot of energy to control the heat wave, but he was happy with the final result of his work.

He sat down and took the chopsticks in his right hand. The food was delicious. He then looked inside the bag again; two bottled waters were also there. "That's why I love this woman." He said to himself.

As if he had called her, the door immediately opened, producing Lois Lane.

He had failed to hear her coming. Probably because he was too weak and hungry.

"Hi." Lois smiled, catching him with his mouth on the bottle.

"Hey. You're back." Clark said, then pointing to the food, "I was hungry and I thought I should eat. Do you want any?"

It was still hard listening to himself talk to Lois like an average human being. In his mind, he knew he couldn't really act like clumsy Clark or like confident Superman. It was only fair to show the real him, even if it felt awkward.

"No, thanks. Just had lunch." Lois answered.

Clark nodded, staring at her. "Are we leaving?" He said, breaking the sudden silence.

"Yeah," Lois blurted, "but you can finish. Go ahead."

Taking the chopstick again, Clark dug in. "All right. You can sit down… I mean… if you want." He said with food still in his mouth.

Lois smiled and agreed, walking to take a sit in front of him. "This is weird." Lois said, staring at him.

He looked up, stopped eating again and looked nervous. "I'm sorry. I don't know… how to… uhm…"

"Just finish. I'll be all right."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure." Lois said. "You're you and you're fine. That's all that matters."

Clark smiled, not really sure what that had meant.

He finished his meal in silence; Lois just sat there the whole time looking at him. When he was done, he picked up his mess and put it all back in the bag. He stood up, obviously still aching and took the bag to the trash can beside the TV.

"Are you feeling better?" She asked, surprised to see him walking around.

"Oh, yes. Thanks." Clark said, not sounding very convincing. "Just a little tired, but I don't feel like before. Last night I thought I was not going to make it."

"Don't say that." Lois said, grasping the thought in her mind for a minute and realizing what that would mean.

"Sorry. I just…"

She smiled. "It's amazing how you can't stop apologizing."

Clark gave her a crooked smile, which reminded her so much of his Superman persona. "The story of my life, right?"

"I wouldn't know." Lois said, trying not to show how she was hurting inside. "I don't think I know much about your life."

He lowered his head, sitting on the bed slowly. "Well, I guess I'm an open book now. You can ask anything. I think it would be really stupid now if I didn't tell you everything."

_It would_, Lois thought, but used her chance to begin with more questions.

"Well, I am a little curious…" She said, Clark could only smile.

"You _are _Lois Lane. I thought you were _a lot _curious." He said, playful.

"Don't be smart with me. I may not sound like it, but I _am_ still angry."

Clark cleared his throat and swallowed hard. "Sorry." He said in an almost inaudible voice.

She finally stood up. "For the love of God, please stop apologizing!" She knew he wanted to say it again, tell her he was sorry for telling her he was sorry. "Don't even think about it." Taking her purse in her hand again, she rose to leave. Clark followed her with his eyes until she stopped by the door. "Get dressed, we're leaving."

"Dressed? Uhm, like Superman?" He asked in a shy voice.

"Yes!" She jumped, "Wait, no." She sighed. She threw her arms in the air. "Arg! You're too complicated." The comment hurt Clark but he tried to hide it. "I don't know, C…" He knew she meant to call him Clark, but thought better of it. "I don't know. I guess it would be safer to drive Clark Kent around the city, wouldn't you?"

"But, Richard… he'll…"

"Yes, I know." She pointed to his suitcase. "Take the suitcase with your suit in it. We'll put it in the trunk and you can change before anyone sees you."

"I usually wear it under my clothes… the suit, I mean."

"Well, you can put it on then, whatever you want to do. But, I'd like to go, so hurry up." She opened the door. "I'll go get the car, get ready and meet me downstairs in ten minutes. I'll park the car in front of the hotel."

"I'll be there." Clark said, watching her leave again.

A few minutes later, Clark Kent was standing in front of the hotel, his hands in his pockets, his glasses covering his eyes. Lois drove up and he got in the car. "You look much better." She said, beginning small talk.

"I feel better. Thanks for everything." Clark added. "If it weren't for you I…"

"Don't even go there. I still don't know what I'm going to do with Richard."

"With Richard? What do you mean?"

Deep down she didn't even know what she meant. Was she considering ending her relationship with Richard or had that just meant she wasn't sure how to behave in front of her fiancée now that she knew Clark Kent and Superman were the same person?

"How am I going to explain what I'm doing? How am I going to explain how I have Superman in my car? Do you have any ideas, Clark?"

She had said his name so casually Clark had felt a relief in his chest. "I don't know. I'll come up with something."

"Right." She mused, "Like all the times you had to disappear? You must really have a good imagination."

"It took practice."

"For someone that _supposedly _never lies, I think you lie more than the average person."

Clark looked down, then out the window. She was right, he was a liar. A very good liar, apparently. "I'm sorry Lois; I did what I thought I had to do. But, for the record… when I wear the suit, I really don't lie_._"

"Sure you do." Lois said rapidly. "I remember telling you something on the roof that night, when you came back. I said something about Clark, and you asked me who he was. Now, I don't know, but that's a lie."

"I didn't say I didn't know who he was." Clark said in his defense. "I just asked you about Clark, that's all."

"Fine, lie to yourself as well. Do whatever you want, then; you're not making things better… or easier."

Clark figured she was right. Maybe it was time to shut up. Nothing good was coming out of the sentences that came out of his mouth. One thing he did know, whatever he needed to do to get Lois to like him again, he was willing to do. Just thinking what his life would be without her was… unimaginable.

After a few minutes, Clark realized they had left the city behind. They were now in the suburbs and he remembered the house he had seen from up in the sky the time he had spied on Lois. Now that he thought about it, if he ever told Lois he had done that, then she would _really_ be angry.

"Oh, no." Lois said, making Clark turn to look at her suddenly.

"What's wrong?" Clark asked.

"It's Richard… he's early." Lois said, "You have to change."

"Here?" Clark asked, puzzled. "We're in the middle of the neighborhood. People will see me."

She turned to look at him, pursing her lips. "I thought you had super-speed."

"I do. But I also have a big knife wound on my back." Clark stated.

"Oh." Lois said, remembering that even when he looked fine, he was still in pain. "Well, then… you'll have to get out-" She stopped suddenly, her face looking in shock at the window. "Oh, no."

Clark joined her, turning his head to look in front of him. It was Richard, he was walking towards them. He held Jason's hand in his. Lois was parked about two blocks from their house when she had seen Richard's car parked there.

"It's Richard." Clark stated the obvious.

"What are we going to do?" Lois said quickly, panic in her voice. "Hide!"

But Clark didn't move, Richard was too close to them, he was waving. "I-"

"Clark, _do_ something!" Lois demanded. But, seeing that Clark was still just sitting there, made her take drastic action. She moved the gear to Reverse and she pushed the pedal. The car's wheels screeched on the pavement as the car suddenly began to move backwards.

"Lois, what are you doing?" Clark said his eyes wide in panic.

"We're leaving, that's what we're doing."

"Wait! Stop!" He said in a commanding voice, which startled her. She still wouldn't let his words make her slow down. "Stop, please!"

In front of them, Richard and Jason had suddenly stopped, too, surprised at what was happening in front of them. "I can't stop, they'll see you!"

"It's all right. Right now, I think it's a good idea." Clark said.

"What?" She pressed the left pedal and stopped the car. Clark held on, making sure he wouldn't leave his hand imprinted anywhere on the car as he did. "You think it's a good idea?"

He turned to look at her. "Richard is the father of my son, Lois. And if I want to see Jason, then... I have been thinking it would be a good idea if… he knew."

"But, what if he can't keep the secret? What if he doesn't understand…?"

"I think he will. I think he's a good man, like you said before. And I think he'll keep the secret to protect the two of you. I don't know how he'll feel about me, but I can work on that later."

"You're crazy."

"Maybe." Clark said, and he opened the door without warning.

"Wait! Where…?" But it was too late, Clark had stepped out of the car, he adjusted his glasses and walked to the confused Richard and Jason.

Lois watched him walk away from her. She saw him wave at them and they waved back. Slowly, she started driving back to them, nervous and confused. Not knowing exactly what would happen next. She followed Richard, Clark and Jason as they walked back to the house.

As much as she wanted to hear their conversation, she couldn't. She parked the car in the garage and hurried to meet them.

Now Richard was talking with Clark. Jason walked beside them, smiling. _Well, it can't be _that_ bad, can it?_

"Hi, Richard. I'm sorry, I…" Lois said as she got near them.

"Hey, Lois. Let's get in the house. Clark is telling me nobody should hear what he is about to tell us."

"Right." She said, wondering why he hadn't protested about her awkward behavior with the car.

The four of them entered the house and Richard led Clark to the living room.

"Can I offer you something, Clark?" Richard asked, watching as Clark shared a quick look with Lois before answering.

"No, thank you." Clark said and then without thinking twice, he added. "There's something I want to tell you."

"And it's about Superman, right?" Richard said, now watching Lois sit down beside him a little nervous. Jason had been sent to his room, to wait while they talked. When he had begged to stay, Lois had supported Richard and almost commanded him to go upstairs.

"Yes. It's about Superman." Clark said.

"Is he all right?" Richard seemed honestly concerned. "When Lois called me telling me he needed my seaplane, I didn't know what to think."

"Well," Clark pushed his glasses up again and loosened his tie. His voice trembled when he next talked. "I, uhm, what I need to tell you is…" But he stopped to smile, "Boy this is hard." He looked at Lois for support, but he didn't find much there.

"What's going on?" Richard asked, looking at Lois and then at Clark. "Something's not right here, what happened? Just tell me."

But Lois just sat there, like a statue, staring at Clark. "Uhm, well, this is really difficult, but I feel I need to say it. And it will be hard on you, probably." He shrugged, "See… I _am _S…" He stopped; Richard was now sitting at the edge of his seat.

"You're what? Superman?" Richard asked him, almost jokingly. It was then that Clark nodded, holding his breath. "Wait… you _are _Superman? You're kidding, right?" But Clark quickly shook his head. "But if that's… nah, you're pulling my leg, right?" He finally turned to look at Lois, but she shook her head slowly, reassuring him that what he was hearing was the truth. "But, you're… how can you… but…"

"I'm sorry. But I couldn't tell anyone. I need help and Lois figured out my secret by herself." Clark explained as quickly as he could. "I'm sick. When Luthor stabbed me, I didn't heal like before. And Lois told me that maybe I could borrow your seaplane to reach the sun." Richard was in shock as Clark spoke, "I can fly, but it takes a lot out of me and I would be forever grateful if you could help me out."

Richard once again looked at Clark and then back at Lois. "You're making this up, right?" He insisted.

"No." Lois said. "He is who he says he is. They're the same person."

Richard looked back at Clark, then at Lois. It sounded real, but it just couldn't _be _real. "Uh, well…" he said, untying his tie and loosing up his shirt. "Uhm, well, it's nice to meet you then."

"It's Clark, you already know him." Lois said suddenly, taking the glamour out of the situation.

Richard stared at him after hearing Lois' words. "Well, Clark… uhm, tell me when you're ready."

Clark smiled, nodding. "Well, the sooner the better. I'll change, if you don't mind."

"Into… Superman?" Richard asked, still amused.

"He keeps the suit under the shirt, did you know that?" Lois added. "All this time."

Sighing, Clark stood up and asked for the bathroom. Both Richard and Lois pointed to it in unison and Clark excused himself.

When he was gone, Richard turned to look at Lois. "_That's _Superman? Mild-mannered reporter Clark Kent?"

"Yes." Lois confirmed.

"I can't believe this. It's… unbelievable." He said, in lack for a better word.

"And he has super-hearing, so he can hear everything you say." She reminded him.

"Oh, right. Right." Richard was suddenly quiet, until something occurred to him. "What about Jason? Is he telling Jason?"

Lois blushed, showing that there was more to the story than she'd let on. "Jason is… he's…" But she was saved by Clark rejoining them. He now stood in front of them fully suited. His glasses in one hand and his clothes neatly folded in the other.

"I'm ready." Clark said, in what appeared his normal voice. "Where can I leave these?" He raised both hands to show the glasses and his clothes.

Richard and Lois didn't answer him right away. First they just sat there appalled at the vision in front of them. It was as if Clark Kent had never existed and Superman had taken his place. Lois shrugged and woke up from her trance. "Uhm, right. You can just put them there, on the sofa."

Doing as he was told, he leaned a little to reach the cushion, quickly grabbing his back with his right hand. His hosts could see how that had hurt him, even when he tried to hide the pain it caused. "Are you okay?" Richard asked.

"I've been better." Clark answered.

"I better take another look at the wound." Lois said, but Clark shook his head.

"I'm fine. Really." Then to Richard, "If you could do me that big favor and fly me over those clouds, I would appreciate it."

Richard stood up quickly, "Sure. This way." Nobody had to tell him twice. The man started walking to the backdoor of the house, leaving Lois and Clark looking at each other wondering why he had reacted like that.

"I think he took it well." Lois added as she followed Richard out of the house.

Clark looked around the shore to make sure no one was watching. He really didn't care at the time, but part of him was warning him that he was being too sloppy in keeping his identity safe. Not only had he let Lois figure it out, but now he had told Richard as well. He still wasn't sure that had been the right thing to do.

Richard started the plane and Clark had a sudden flashback from the day Luthor had stabbed him. It had been this seaplane he had helped take off after rescuing Richard, Lois and Jason from the sinking yacht; it was also the one he had woken up in after Lois had taken out the shard of Kryptonite from his back. They had saved his life on that plane, and now they were doing it again.

"Superman!" He heard a voice call him from behind. As he turned around, he saw Jason running towards him smiling with open arms. Lois walked slowly behind him. Happiness filled him in a way he could not express. This was his son after all, and it was still strange watching someone that was part of him move and breathe and talk in real life. It had been something he had thought impossible.

Knowing he would regret it later, Clark knelt down to receive Jason, his back throbbing in pain again. "Hey, Jason. Are you coming with us?"

Jason hugged him tight and began talking. "Mommy said I could come with you, and she said that you were here and she said that you may want to take me flying if I want to."

Clark smiled at him and then turned to face Lois, who was now standing near them. "Mommy didn't say _all _of those things." She defended herself. "And I did tell Jason he would have to be in his best behavior in the seaplane."

"I will. Right Mr. Superman?" Jason asked him, the smile painted on his face.

Clark nodded, "Ready to go?" Lois took Jason's hand and helped him in the plane. With difficulty, Clark concentrated hard enough to float to the seaplane, trying not to hurt his back anymore than he had too.

"That was cool!" He heard Jason said as he took a seat and buckled his seatbelt.

Richard was sitting at the wheel, with Lois now as his co-pilot. "Ready, everyone?"

Clark and Jason nodded. Looking back to see them, Lois noticed how there certainly was a resemblance between the two of them, but as she tried to picture Clark, it was still difficult to realize it was really _he _who was the father of her child.

The seaplane rose over the water and took into flight. The engines roared and this made Clark's wound sting and burn in pain, but he took it without complaining. After a while, they reached the clouds.

"We've never been this high before, Mr. Superman." Jason said, watching the river under him. "This is cool."

Clark couldn't help but smile, forgetting about pain as he looked at the innocent smile he saw before him. "Will we be able to rise any higher?" Clark ventured a question loud enough for Richard to hear him.

"I think so. Hang on." The engines roared louder and the seaplane rose higher. It was still early enough for the sun to be up there, and Clark felt the rays touch his face from the window as soon as they left the clouds below. Unbuckling his seat belt, he walked towards Richard and Lois. "Could you face west?" He asked.

Richard nodded and turned the plane around. In a moment, the sun's rays were coming in through the cabin. Clark sat back down again and felt the sun's rays cover his entire body. He relaxed and let them fill him, replenishing his energy. "I can keep this up for fifteen to twenty minutes."

Clark didn't reply, he was concentrating in absorbing the yellow sun. He felt his body take the energy inside and in a way felt the wound healing faster than it had before, though not enough.

"I'm going out." Clark's voice was heard after a while, making Lois turn around worried.

"What?" She yelled at him. "Why? No, wait. You may still be weak, you…"

But he smiled gently at her. "I'll be fine. I'll meet you down at your house in a little while." Then he turned to Richard, "Thank you. You have no idea how grateful I am. It was just the boost I needed."

He slowly opened the door, just like he had done days before. Taking a deep breath, he stepped out and flew as high as he could, to get closer to the sun.

Lois locked the door behind him, making sure Jason was not harmed. He smiled at her in a reassuring way. When Lois finally buckled up again next to Richard, Jason began, "Do you think I'll be able to fly one day, mommy?" He said loud enough to be heard by both his parents.

"What?" Richard asked, smiling at his son's question. Beside him, Lois froze, not knowing what to say or do. "I don't think so, Jason." It was Richard who replied,  
"Superman's an alien."

"But, I'm just as strong as Superman, remember? So maybe I can fly, too. Right, mommy?"

Richard turned to Lois immediately, with a confused look on his face. "I-" But Lois couldn't say anything before Jason spoke again.

"I threw that piano, remember, mommy?" Jason was saying, "Will I fly one day like Superman?"

Richard turned the plane around. This wasn't something he had expected. He would have to confront Lois now, and he would probably hear things he didn't want to hear.

To be continued…


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Go upstairs, Jason." Richard commanded, trying to make his voice sound as calm as possible.

"But…" The boy began to protest.

"No, buts. I'm sure you still have some homework to finish. I'll be right there in a minute. I just need to talk with your mom." Richard said.

"Oh… grown-up talk?" He was a smart kid, no doubt about that. After all, he _was _the son of two reporters.

"Yes, honey." Lois said, her voice nervous and soft. Jason must have felt something was wrong, but he knew that when his parents needed to talk, he had to wait. It was the rule of the house. Slowly, he went up the stairs until his parents heard his bedroom door close behind him.

Lois stood there, looking away, not wanting to confront Richard with this. She wasn't ready yet. In her mind, she had pictured telling him one day… that day was definitely not today. In her defense, she had already made the decision to tell him. It wasn't like she would keep the secret forever, unlike Clark pretended to do.

Richard walked back and forth, not knowing how to approach the subject, but seeing Lois evading the conversation even more, he had to speak up.

"When did Jason throw a piano?" He demanded to know, "Did you know about that?"

She nodded. "At Luthor's yatch. He saved my life."

"And you didn't bother to tell me this?" Richard asked, so offended that he didn't bother to ask _why_ he had thrown the piano or _how_ it was that the action had saved Lois's life.

"I _was _going to tell you… but it was... difficult and..." She said.

"What's difficult is explaining to me why you told me you didn't love Superman when it's obvious you did, or else Jason wouldn't be here, would he? And I mean, even if you had lied before… knowing that you had his child. Man, Lois… that's really pushing it."

She started to cry quietly now. She knew it was fair that he was angry, but in her fantasy world, she wished everything she had done would be forgiven, just like Clark expected everything _he _had done be forgiven, too.

"He left, and I didn't know if he would come back and…" She began.

"No. I asked you when he _was _back. I remember it clearly. I asked if you were in love with him and you said _no._"

"Please understand, Richard. It was very hard for me. It _is _very hard for me and when he came back I was confused and angry. I decided I wouldn't have anything to _do _with him when he showed up again."

"Lois, Jason is his _son_!" He raised his voice. "How would he stay away knowing _that_!?"

"Please keep your voice down, Jason will hear you." Lois warned.

"Why? Because he has super-hearing, like his _dad_?" He was using sarcasm, something Richard rarely did.

"No." Lois replied. Then, she reconsidered. "I don't know. And I understand you're upset and I know I lied to you. But, I love you and I was happy with you and I didn't want to change that." _Was_ happy? She heard her own words in her head.

"But everything _did_ change, Lois, can't you feel it?" Richard sighed, sat down on the couch, almost like giving up. "I knew it when you jumped into the ocean to save his life. That moment I wondered if you would do that for me. I know _I_ would… but it made me think if you loved me enough to save me as you saved him."

"You know I would, Richard."

He shook his head, smiled sadly. "I don't know. Lois," He raised his eyes to meet hers; they were starting to fill with tears, too. "Jason is not my son… do you know… how that…?"

Not being able to continue, Richard lowered his head, trying with all his might not to cry in front of her. "I'm sorry." Lois said, feeling the worst she had ever felt in her entire life.

"Do you love him?" Richard asked, this time, he did not turn to look at her.

"I love _you_, Richard, I-"

But he simply shook his head again, "No. That's not my question." He faced her, finally. "Do you love _him_? And don't lie to me. You can't."

Lois stared at him for the longest time, biting her lower lip, her tears falling silently down her cheeks. "Yes. I love him." She dried her cheeks with the back of her hands. "I'm sorry, Richard."

"No. No. Don't apologize. I know better than anyone that we can't chose who we love." He smiled again at her, now more relaxed. "I should have known."

"It's not like that, Richard… please, understand..."

"What is it to understand, Lois? You are the mother of his child. You love him and I'm sure he loves you… everybody knows that. There is no place for me."

"But-"

"No, buts…" He stopped her just like he had stopped Jason a few minutes before. "I don't want to be the guy you settle with, Lois. I couldn't live like that. And believe me, I would try… but I just know it wouldn't work. Not for you, not for me… and not for Jason."

"But, Jason needs you." She protested.

"Not like he will need his father." He told her, now totally understanding his position. "Clark Kent is a good man. The only fault I saw in him was how naïve he was… but now that I know who he really is… I can't find anything wrong with him. I want to, but I can't. Damn it." He buried his face in his hands, Lois just stood there, in the same spot she had remained since they had sent Jason to his room.

"I don't know what to say, Richard." She finally said.

"Nothing. You don't have to say anything." He stood up, walked passed her. "I'm going to go check on Jason."

With that, he left. Lois stood there in the living room and once she heard Jason's door open and close upstairs, she let it all out. She cried and sobbed. She was confused and it hurt her that she had hurt Richard.

So immerse in her crying, that she didn't hear Clark walk behind her. "Are you all right?" His baritone voice startled her. She jumped and quickly tried to clear the tears from her red face.

"I – I didn't hear you come in."

"I used the back door. I didn't think you'd mind." He looked perfect, standing there with his blue suit and red cape. "Where's Richard?" He asked, then turned to look around the house. Lois noticed his eyes narrowing, and then suddenly stopped in a spot. He was looking straight into Jason's bedroom, she knew that.

"I guess you know where he is." She said.

Clark immediately turned to look at her, his face red. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to… do that. Old habits, I guess."

She nodded and finally moved to sit on the sofa. She felt tired, emotionally, not physically.

"I'll go change." He said. Taking his clothes from where he had left them, he walked to the guest bathroom. Part of Lois wished he wouldn't come back from there, that he could just disappear. Actually, she wished that everything around her would disappear and she would be left alone with no problems or decisions to make.

But that wasn't possible and some decisions _had _been made. Clark, even when he took his time, eventually came out of the bathroom. His glasses still in his hand, his hair disheveled.

"The wound is almost closed." He announced. "I'm hoping it won't last another 48 hours and then I'll be home free."

She stared at him, tears drying on her cheeks. "I still don't know with whom I'm more comfortable talking to." She told him.

"Well, it's just me, so…"

She disagreed. "It's different. The relationship I had with Superman was different from Clark. With Superman, I felt like a woman. I felt like I was talking to someone who had it all under control and could put me back in control of my own life." Clark listened quietly. "With Clark, I felt relaxed, like I could be myself and I had someone that wasn't perfect, someone who just liked listening to what I had to say." She narrowed her eyes, almost like studying him. "So, as you can see, it's difficult to know… who I'm really talking to."

"Well, I can tell you for a fact that I am Clark Kent. I was raised Clark Kent, I went to school as Clark Kent. So most of what I have told you about me as Clark Kent is true. I didn't lie to you about that. Please believe that."

"But you're not really shy and clumsy, are you?"

He considered his options. "Not clumsy, no. But I am a little shy." He smiled. "I could never ask the girl I liked in school out on a date. I only had like two or three friends at school and I wasn't considered one of the cool kids, I was always the geek. Those parts of Clark that you know are real. Superman… well, that's just pretend." He seemed to find that amusing. "If I don't pretend to have everything under control, I don't know how I could handle all that happens around me."

"So what we had together was _pretend_?" Lois asked, a bit hurt.

"No!" He jumped, his eyes wide. "I love you as Clark Kent, as me. But you didn't pay attention to me… and when I saved you that first time and you saw a different part of me that you liked… well, I just took advantage of that."

"That's not fair." She said.

Lowering his eyes, he apologized once more. "Sorry."

Lois sighed; it was all really simple, not really complicated. In front of him was just a man. With some faults and problems like everybody else had and some that nobody else did. He was an alien with super-powers. In truth, he only wanted to fit in and help at the same time. She considered how difficult choices must be for him. She also considered how difficult it must have been to live with a secret like his. Was he always afraid someone would figure it out? If they did, was he afraid he wouldn't be able to live a normal life? Did he _want_ a normal life?

"So…" She said finally, "The truth is that Superman doesn't exist, right?"

"Well, he's me. He exists. He's just a part of me. He doesn't have a past, so I don't think I could have much of a life as Superman. I like being myself much more." He explained.

"But you're not. You also pretend to be a different Clark Kent at the office."

"I have to, because I don't want people to figure out who I am. Makes sense? It's still better than the other option."

Nodding, Lois indicated she understood. Suddenly, out of the blue, she changed the conversation. "Richard… found out you're Jason's father. His biological father, I mean."

Clark froze, staring at her, wanting to know more about it. How'd he find out? How'd he react to the news? How…? He had been so busy replenishing his energy that he hadn't overheard anything. "And…?" He asked, inquiring to know more.

"It hurt him." Lois said. "A lot. See, he thought…" Stopping, she bit her lip again and thought where her next words would lead the conversation. "He thought he was the father."

"Did you think he was the father?" Clark asked her, even though he feared the answer.

"No. I _knew_ he was yours." She said. Before Clark could say anymore, she continued. "But you weren't here, and what would happen to our son if people knew he was Superman's son! I had to make a decision. And since I met Richard right after you left and nobody knew I was pregnant yet and I…" _slept with Richard._

"You told him Jason was his to protect him." Clark completed the sentence.

"I didn't say he was, I just, never told him he wasn't. Clark, please understand. I was afraid something would happen. I don't know what, but something. And I didn't know what to do. I was scared at first and everybody knew I didn't date _anyone!_ The only man I had eyes for at the time was… Superman." But she cocked her head. "… well, and you. My partner. I think that, to everyone, if I was ever intimate with someone, it would have been you."

Clark wanted to smile at that, the thought of meaning so much to her without the suit made him happy. But he just listened, waiting for her to get it all out. It was the healthy thing to do. He knew now that Lois knew his secret, that keeping something like that from someone you cared about, was wrong.

"Thanks, Lois." He said.

"I guess it would be believable to tell people Jason is really _your_ son, not Superman's."

"Which is the truth." Clark offered a half smile.

"It is." Her mind now drifted to those passionate nights. She remembered the first time Superman had come into her apartment, leading her hand to the back of the suit, where she found a zipper. It had surprised her to find something as earthly as a zipper behind the suit, but she had lowered it with no problem. The cape had fallen once the suit was down. For the first time, she had seen how human his body looked. It was perfect, not alien at all.

If only she had seen Clark naked one time, she would have figured out they were really the same person. But every time she made love to Superman, there was nothing else in her mind. She knew that was where she wanted to be. Not with the superhero, but with the man. The man that, conveniently, was standing right in front of her, revealing he was more human than she could ever have hoped for.

"I missed you, Clark." She said, very softly, not sure she had wanted him to hear it. But he had super-hearing; of course he had heard her.

He seemed taken aback, not believing what he heard. "Really?" He asked innocently.

"I did."

His smile was sweet and handsome at the same time. Without his glasses, he looked wonderful in his three piece suit. "I missed you, too. A _lot_." He remarked.

Clark heard someone coming, his head moved slightly to one side. He regained his composure, cleared his throat and shifted from one side to the other.

"Hey." Richard's voice was heard. "Feeling better?" He asked Clark.

"Yes, much better. Thank you." Clark confirmed. "The wound is finally healing. I think the food from this morning and the sun was what I needed." Richard nodded as he heard his words. "Sorry to bring all this trouble."

"No problem." Richard's forced smile made everybody uncomfortable. He turned to Lois, "Jason is ready to come down."

"Oh, well… I guess he can." Lois said.

Richard then turned to Clark. "I guess you'll be happy to see him." Clark smiled weakly. "He's a great kid. Now I know where he got it from."

"Richard…" Lois began.

"No, it's okay." Richard said, looking at both Clark and Lois. "And don't worry, Clark. I won't tell your secret. Just… I would like to be a part of Jason's life no matter what happens. I don't care if he starts doing things I won't understand at first. But, I will always think of him as my son."

"I don't want to come between you and your family, Richard. I-"

"You didn't. Well, you did… but, you didn't mean to do it." Richard tried to explain himself.

"No, Richard, she made her choice the other day and I respect that. It was _me_ that left, now I have to live with my choices." Clark said.

Richard suddenly stopped, tilting his head to one side, frowning. "He… doesn't know?" He asked Lois, noticing Clark frowning back in confusion. After a while, Richard nodded and smiled. "Well, Clark, whatever happens, I hope we can at least be friends. Even if you _are_ Superman. I would like that very much. And I would like us to talk about… what's going to happen, how things are going to work for Jason. At least I think I have earned that right."

"We can always talk." He gave him his goofy grin. Then cleared his throat. "As for Jason, I will try to help him as much as I can." Clark said, still not sure what the secret between Richard and Lois truly was.

An uncomfortable silence followed. It was broken by Richard again. "Well, I'm hungry, aren't you? I'm going out for something to eat." Before anyone could say anything, he asked, "I'll bring something back if you want." Nobody answered him, they just stared at him. "I'll take Jason with me; that should give you enough time to… talk."

He took his keys and headed to the door. "Come on, buddy, let's go get dinner!" He yelled. Immediately, Jason stormed out of the room and down the stairs.

"I'm so hungry." Jason remarked as he passed Clark and Lois like nothing was wrong. He quickly glanced back and said: "Oh, hi Mr. Clark."

Clark waved at him and smiled.

"Ready?" Richard opened the door and Jason stepped out, running for the car. "Good luck." He closed the door behind him, knowing it was going to be even harder than he wanted it to be, even when it was the right thing to do.

Lois and Clark were left alone, staring at the door and then at each other in silence. Finally, after a while, when Richard's car could no longer be heard, Lois opened her mouth to talk. It was now or never… suddenly she blurted out: "Clark… I love you."

Clark smiled, and for the first time in his life, felt that he would be all right.

The end.


End file.
